


A Nudge

by LetoaSai



Series: Slayer Bound [4]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Flirting, Jealousy, M/M, Mates, Oblivious Dragon Slayers, Public Display of Affection, Self given missions, get the dragons together!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 13:08:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18315875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetoaSai/pseuds/LetoaSai
Summary: Slayers were supposed to know their mate on sight. Natsu and Gray just couldn't figure out what Sting and Rogue's problem was.





	A Nudge

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail

It was official. Sting and Rogue had to be the two most oblivious people in the world. They’d spent the entire day showing Natsu and Gray around and the mated pair had done everything they could think of, and would allow themselves to do to get them together to no avail. 

They’d spoken about it seriously that morning before meeting the twin dragons for breakfast and had given themselves strict guidelines. Gentle nudges, nothing too invasive. Hugs were fine, kissing was not. Leaving their scent on the others clothing was fine, on their skin was not. 

The closest they’d come to breaking that rule was when Gray had leaned forward to brush a stray strand of Rogue’s hair behind his ear. The Shadow Dragon Slayer had gone pink but Sting hadn’t even been paying attention and the action had been pointless. 

Worse was Gray needing to keep his own new habits in check. He was so used to growling or huffing to get his point across in certain conversations. It was a whole new way to communicate without words and generally, Natsu was the only one who would hear him and visa versa. Even if one of the other Fairy Tail slayers was nearby they would most often, politely stay out of the mated slayers conversations. 

Today though, they couldn’t even share their irritated growls because of the twin dragons at their side. They’d no doubt grow curious over the exchange between them and eventually ask. Heightened senses could be ruined when around others with the same abilities. 

They’d gone to breakfast as planned and Rogue and Sting took turns picking places to show their visitors. Since Sting had taken over as master of Sabertooth they’d really grown to adore their city. Natsu and Gray could appreciate the pride but it was really getting in the way of their own personal mission. 

Gray continuously brushed up against Rogue and Natsu was almost constantly in Sting’s face. They’d laugh and carry on and head to the next sightseeing location but no jealousy ever sparked. Honestly, even before they were mated if someone had touched Gray with such obvious flirtatious intentions, Natsu would have gone ballistic. What the hell was wrong with them?

“You think we should do lunch or hit that bakery on Kindred Street?” Rogue asked. 

“Bakery! The smell alone is worth going into the place.” Sting was already purring. 

“I’m hungry guys, all this walking has earned some real food.” Natsu complained. 

Rogue chuckled. “It’ll be worth it. They’re used to dragon appetites.” 

“Ah, so you’re keeping them in business?” Gray asked, smiling in Rogue’s direction. “You two must go there often.” 

Rogue nodded shyly. “At least once a week.” 

“Probably more like three times. We have our own little table and everything.” Sting smirked. “It’s technically the master of the guild’s table but i let Rogue sit in.” 

“So gracious.” Rogue sighed. 

“Right,” Natsu commented. “You bring anyone besides Rogue?” 

“Mm?” Sting shrugged. “Not really, i guess. He’s the only one that appreciates how awesome it is.”

Gray and Natsu hummed their acknowledgement and quickly looked away from each other. If they made eye contact that’d start laughing...or crying over this situation. 

Sting and Rogue both catered to each other and had meshed their lives together so completely that they didn’t even notice. They went on dates and spent all their time together. They were a mated pair that had never actually been together to cement their bond. They couldn’t find their mate because they’d already had them. 

Sabertooth called them the Twin Dragons because they were inseparable. Mated Dragons was more like it. 

“It’s close by too.” Rogue said, gesturing down the street. 

“Great, i’m starved.” Gray mused. “You dragons having to walk everywhere because of your motion sickness is a drag.” 

“Okay, you not getting motion sick just isn’t fair.” Sting scowled. “You’re a slayer like the rest of us.” 

“Dragons just can’t hack it.” Gray smirked, knowing full well what he was starting. 

Natsu didn’t disappoint. He growled, sliding up against Gray and grabbing his hip. “You got a problem with dragons, ice princess?” 

“What do you think? This one keeps gnawing on me.” Gray mused, getting the dig in. It was the right thing to say to have Natsu pushing closer into his personal space to nip at his bottom lip. 

“It’s probably because you taste good.” Natsu muttered, licking at the swell of Gray’s lip. 

“Okay, okay.” Sting cut in with a short laugh. “Food first then you two can be all lovey and shit. I swear, i never know when you two are gonna kiss or punch each other.” 

“We’re multitaskers.” Gray grinned. “We can do both.” 

“Years and years of practice.” Natsu agreed. They could already smell the delicious aroma of freshly baked goods that had their stomachs growling. “And both are fun.” 

Rogue snorted. “Only you would consider punching as fun as kiss.” 

“What do you think we did before the kissing? It’s how ten year olds flirt. At least it was how i flirted. I didn’t know how else to get him to look at me.” Natsu shrugged. 

“I doubt it would have been that hard.” Gray said with a sigh. “But i never understood that you were flirting back then so who knows.” 

They headed into the bakery, Sting walking them to their table while Rogue went to the front counter to order probably one of everything. 

“You know.” Sting commented, taking a seat. “I never would have pictured you two as the romantic type but seeing it in person fits. I couldn’t even imagine you holding hands before now. Was it hard to transition?” 

“Not really,” Gray shrugged. 

Even Natsu looked pleased by the admission. “Really? I know there was so much for you to get used to?” 

“Well, yeah. The slayer shit is what took getting used to. The permanence of it. The feeling like i almost had no choice in what i was doing. My feelings and urges shifted into overdrive and i had to figure that stuff out.” Gray shrugged again. “And i had no idea what you would think of my infatuation. I didn’t know you had your own, very similar version of what i was going through.” 

“I knew though. I knew the second you shared my realization. You fucking around in Avatar.” Natsu chuckled. “But so much bullshit was going on that it took forever to be able to act on it.” 

Sting rested his chin on his palm and stared at them. “Just hearing how you feel is so unreal. I guess i’m kinda jealous. It wasn’t hard to get together once you knew?” 

“By the time Natsu approached me, no. Wasn’t hard. I’d been wanting him for weeks without a clue as to what to do about it.” Gray chuckled, shifting in time with Natsu rubbing up against his side and allowing him to fit against him like a puzzle piece. “Don’t get a big head about it.” 

“How can i not?” Natsu muttered. 

“Sappy.” Sting muttered, looking amused. The comment interrupted their moment but it was probably a good thing given the fact that they were in public. “Cute but sappy.” 

Natsu sighed but never picked his head up off of Gray’s shoulder. “Give it time Sting. You’re going to be worse.” 

“Oh you think so?” Sting laughed. “I don’t know how to take that.” 

“As a compliment?” Gray offered. “Yeah it’s sappy but what’s really the big deal about being affectionate with the person you love.” 

“Yeah,” Sting’s smile remained. “Guess you too are good role models.” 

Natsu made a face, “I don’t know about that. Just be happy, but i don’t think that’s going to be a problem for you.” He and Gray both laughed when Sting looked confused. He really was oblivious to what was right in front of him. 

Another snarky comment was on the tip of Natsu’s tongue but he backed down when he watched Sting’s eyes cut into slits and his head swing around in Rogue’s direction. 

Natsu and Gray both looked, but they hadn’t been paying attention to Rogue’s conversation the way Sting apparently had been. He stood at the front counter, the man at the register having a hold of Rogue’s wrist. He didn’t look worried or even put out, but he also didn’t see the man as a threat. He was a freaking Dragon Slayer, and this baker probably didn’t even have magic. 

“Easy Sting,” Natsu said quietly, knowing it was Sting’s own will power that kept him in his seat. “Rogue is okay.” 

Sting’s teeth ground together so hard they could hear it. It seemed not all of his instincts were dulled when it came to his mate. Someone flirting with him was a serious trigger. 

“I know.” Sting’s voice was rough and Rogue whipped around to look at him. “Rogue can take care of himself.” He forced himself to look away and missed Rogue shaking the hold off of him easily. 

After a beat nothing happened and Gray found himself making a noise that was partly distressed and partly fucking irritated. Damn it, that was progress that shouldn’t be ignored! 

“Shh…” Natsu muttered, hand on Gray’s knee and well aware that Sting was trying to focus on them instead of Rogue. “Let them figure it out on their own.” 

“Figure out what?” Sting asked quietly, his body still ridged with tension. “What?” 

Gray sighed, “Can i give him a hint?” 

Natsu’s lips curled into a very small smile. “A teeny one.” 

“Thank fuck,” Gray leaned his arms on the table and looked Sting in the eye. “Ask yourself one question, Sting. Why are you so pissed off that some random dude is hitting on Rogue. Touching Rogue.” 

“That was not teeny at all.” Natsu commented. 

“I… huh?” Sting blinked, but they could already see the gears turning. Sting wasn’t stupid, he was just settled. He’d never had to be without Rogue before and never had his bond tested. It was clear that his jealousy ran deep and it was hard to believe that this had never happened before. Maybe it had and they hadn’t figured the feelings out. 

Sting turned again to look at Rogue who held a large bag of pastries in one hand while the young baker spoke to him quietly. He obviously didn’t know that the conversation was not as private as he presumed. When he finally got around to asking Rogue out, Sting was out of his seat and all but flying towards the counter. 

“I dare say he figured it out.” Gray muttered. 

Natsu hummed. “Eh, let’s see how it plays out before we jump to conclusions.” 

Sting shoved his way in between Rogue and the front counter as if there were actually a threat in the shop. “Mine.” His voice was dead serious and threatening. Surprisingly enough Rogue only turned bright red instead of being insulted at the interference. “Don’t touch what doesn’t belong to you.” 

The poor baker jerked back, his face pale as fear poured off of him. He didn’t understand the significance of what he’s stumbled into but he sure didn’t deserve to have Sting entering Dragon Force in the little bakery either. 

“Uh oh…” Natsu muttered. 

“Let’s, um… defuse this situation.” Gray agreed, getting to his feet and heading for the door. “Rogue. You need to go outside. Now.” 

The effort it took for Rogue to take his gaze off Sting and look towards Gray was obviously astounding, but after being so clearly and verbally claimed it wasn’t strange to find him slow to respond. He took a step back but faltered when Sting started growling, his focus shifting to Natsu who stood between him and his prey. 

“Now, Rogue. Come outside and call Sting to you.” Gray tried to sound reasonable while Natsu kept his head down meekly. 

“Not fighting you over this, but not letting you hurt this guy either.” Natsu said calmly, trying to look as harmless as possible. He understood all too well what Sting was feeling and wouldn’t truly get in his way unless it became a matter of public safety. 

Rogue shook his head hard, trying to clear the fog and think clearly. He turned, following Gray outside and inhaling fresh air as if that was suddenly his element. “Did you hear him? Did you hear what he said?” 

“I sure did.” Gray said, making sure there was at least two arm spans of distance between them. “Congratulations. Can you call him outside? You know he’ll come to you if you call him. He can’t stay inside there.” 

He swallowed, looking dizzy and painfully like he didn’t want to get his hopes up. “You’re...right. Sting. Sting, I think i want to go home…” 

The words had barely left his lips before Sting appeared through the door and out onto the sidewalk. Neither cared that Natsu waved apologetically to the patrons that had been inside to witness the out of character behavior. 

Sting stared at Rogue as if seeing him for the first time. He grabbed him by his sleeve, the touch gentle while he stepped closer into his space. 

Both Natsu and Gray stayed quiet, refusing to ruin the moment after they’d ended up nudging harder than they’d planned. 

“Well?” Rogue muttered. “Hurry it up.” 

Sting moved without further prompting, cupping Rogue’s face and bringing their mouths together in a shy first kiss. 

Gray recalled his first kiss with Natsu all too well. It wasn’t like it was that long ago and he remembered how perfect it was. Perfect and overwhelming with so many new questions and feelings to work out. Normal people didn’t really understand that his was much more than just a kiss. 

“Let’s get you too back to your place, okay?” Natsu offered, lacing his fingers with Gray’s. “Gray and i don’t need babysitters an you two should probably be alone.” 

The Twin Dragons nuzzled against each other, their jaws marking each other. They were already drenched in the others scent, but this was far more intimate. 

“Hellooo?” Natsu sighed. “You’re in public!” 

“Face it Ashes, you’re the only one that cares about that.” Gray grinned, putting his life at risk by leaning forward to tug the bag of pastries out of Rogue’s loose grasp. “Awesome, i’m hungry.” 

“You are fucking shameless.” Natsu chuckled but took the danish Gray offered him. “And it’s not just me, damn it. It’ll sink in soon enough that they’re gaining an audience and they’ll stop. Possessive dragon nature will kick in.” 

Gray took a bite out of his own danish and hummed. “If you say so, and i refuse to believe this is the first time someone’s asked one of them out.” 

Natsu shrugged. “Could be the first time flirting got that far. Could be the first time it happened when the other was in ear shot. Who knows?” 

They stay put another five minutes, directing people around the slayers who were trying to get into the bakery. They thought about wandering away but they were in too vulnerable a position to just leave them. 

“After a show like this they won’t have to worry about that guy in the bakery. Big windows.” Gray commented, laughing when Natsu elbowed him. “What?” 

“Are you trying to provoke Sting?” 

Gray grinned. “After all the dancing around they’ve been doing it probably makes Rogue feel special.” 

“That’s not a real thing.” 

“Last night.” Gray muttered. “What was it that got you all rough again?” 

Natsu bristled, just thinking about Rufus eyeing his mate pissed him off. The way Gray liked being kissed in front of him... “Makes you feel special, huh?” 

“Possessive dragons are fun.” Gray said, shoving the last bite of danish into his mouth. He side stepped Natsu when he reached for him and knocked into Rogue and Sting as he took off. “Let’s move it dragons! We’re all hitting mildly inappropriate public interactions, and while i don’t give a shit, you three probably do.” 

“We can’t all be totally okay with walking around naked!” Natsu yelled after him, ignoring the startled looks he got from complete strangers. 

Sting and Rogue had finally pulled apart, red faced and flustered. They both had fist fulls of the others clothing and had apparently only just realized where they were. 

“Let’s go you two. Not only does Gray not know where you live but he’s got the freaking pastries!” Natsu growled, giving chase. “You fucking better run, ice princess!” He could hear Gray’s laughter but he hadn’t started slowing down yet. 

It was pure luck and Sting and Rogue had regrouped enough to follow instead of being left behind. They gripped each others hand tightly, refusing to separate even as they followed Natsu’s zigzag route to hunt his own mate down. 

Gray had attempted to cut through a park filled with picnic goers, dog walkers, and joggers. He knew the guild wasn’t too far away and assumed Sting must have lived close by. Unfortunately he never made it out of the sparse trees before Natsu tackled him to the ground. 

He hadn’t been pulling any punches and had run at him at full speed. They’d both gone down hard, tumbling in the grass and then wrestling to pin the other down. It was partially a game and partially a serious fight, but served another purpose. The touching and rubbing effectively erased any and all traces of other people off of them, replacing it with their own. 

“Back off, dragon boy!” Gray hissed. 

“As soon as you yield,” Natsu smirked down at him. 

“Yield?” Gray snorted. “Yeah right.” 

“You two are stupidly fast.” Sting panted, stopping beside them. “Do you just play chase all the time.” 

Gray tilted his head back to look at Sting. “Used to when we were small. Was total bullshit since Natsu could always smell were i was.” 

“I’ve had years more practice than you.” Natsu mused but his voice was much gentler than it had been a second before. He leaned down, brushing his mouth against Gray’s before helping his mate to his feet. 

“I imagine those games started by stealing from him.” Rogue commented, stopping a few feet away to pick up the bag of treats that Gray had dropped when initially tackled. 

Gray grinned. “Sometimes.” 

Sting hovered back to Rogue’s side and couldn’t seem to help himself from marking him one more time, dragging his nose across Rogue’s jaw. “You guys knew, didn’t you?” 

“But you didn’t say anything…” Rogue continued. “Why?” 

Natsu shrugged. “Honestly i thought you were already mated when we first met. Wasn’t until later i realized you were mates but not bonded. It wasn’t my place or business to tell you how to do things.” He paused. “It wasn’t until yesterday that i figured out you didn’t know.” 

“I saw it yesterday too.” Gray said. “The two of you really don’t seem to noticed how tied to the other you already are.” 

“Well, thank you though…” Rogue muttered. “I thought from time to time that maybe…” 

“Did you?’ Sting looked at him, eye wide. “What’s wrong with me? I never noticed at all…” 

Gray and Natsu both laughed, breaking his somber moment. “Sure you did.” 

“Sting, if i had asked you this morning who you loved most you would have said Rogue without hesitation. You’ve literally been in love your whole life.” Natsu said. “Finding your mate wasn’t important because some part of you knew he was right there.” 

Rogue squeezed Sting’s hand. “I think they’re right. I was much more nervous that you’d find someone else and leave me than i was concerned about finding my own mate.” 

Sting made a low sound in his chest, butting his forehead lightly against Rogue’s. “Figured it out now at least…” 

“And good thing to. We were running out of ideas over how to tell you.” Gray muttered, suddenly looking exhausted as he leaned into Natsu. 

“Is that…” Rogue blinked. “Is that why you kept touching me?” 

“Yeah!” Sting said, looking at Natsu. “I was wondering what was up with you two!” 

Natsu shrugged. “We thought it was worth a try. See if we could spark something. Fuck knows why it worked so much easier with that baker.” 

“We know you,” Sting said simply. 

“You’re mated.” Rogue agreed with a shrug. “You’re mated and very much happy to be so. Every little thing you do gets a response out of the other.” 

Sting nodded. “Yeah, you aren’t interested in either of us in the slightest.” 

Gray groaned. “Seriously? Fucking shit, that makes a stupid amount of sense.” It took someone unattached and horny to get a rise out of their slayer instincts. Gray and Natsu could fake it and flirt but they really weren’t trying to seduce either dragon. 

“Well,” Natsu made a face. “At least we can stop that now. I didn’t really like doing it.”

Sting laughed. “But we appreciate you trying! I don’t know what we would have done back there without you.” 

“You’d have killed the baker.” Gray muttered but the dragons only laughed quietly at the ‘what if’. 

“We’ll um,” Rogue cleared his throat. “Work on that. Try to keep it from happening again.” 

“It gets a little easier once the bond is complete, trust me.” Natsu sighed. “And i was serious about you two going home. Gray and i can look after ourselves.” 

The Twin Dragons shared a look, able to read so much from the other without word. It was incredible to watch. It wasn’t so different from the way Gray was able to communicate silently with Natsu but at the same time it was a language they didn’t know.

“We really do appreciate all you did to try and help us,” Sting mused. 

“And we’ll take you up on that suggestion.” Rogue smiled. “If you’re still around tomorrow, come back to the guild.” 

“Otherwise, we’ll see you soon.” Sting beamed, his arm linked to Rogue’s as they headed off in the direction of their home. They both waved but once they were turned towards home they were focused only on each other. 

“That...was nice.” Gray said. “Mission accomplished?” 

“Seems to be,” Natsu purred, pressing a kiss to Gray’s cheek. “Want to stay one more night or head home?” 

Gray chuckled. “I want to get the rest of Sting’s smell off of you.” 

“You’re in luck, Snowflake. That can be arranged.” Natsu said, sure he knew the way back to their hotel. One more night wouldn’t hurt anything. 

“Damn…” Gray muttered suddenly, getting Natsu’s attention instantly. 

“What?” 

Gray sighed. “Rogue took the rest of the pastries…”

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't leave Sting and Rogue hanging


End file.
